Day 3 of the second Test between India and Australia saw Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay pick up where they had left off the previous evening. The duo, before being dismissed, carved out a spectacular 370-run partnership. This particular stand is India’s best for the second wicket in Tests. It also happens to be the second highest partnership for the Indians against their rivals from Down Under – after the epic 376-run stand between Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman at Kolkata back in 2000-01.
Here are these and many more stats highlights from Day 3:
The 370-run partnership between Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara is India’s best for second wicket in Test cricket. The pair obliterated the previous record stand of 344 (unbroken) between Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar against West Indies at Kolkata in 1978-79.
The pair just failed to beat India’s highest ever partnership for any wicket against Australia. VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid had added 376 runs for the fifth wicket at Kolkata in 2000-01.
When his score reached 187, Pujara completed his 1000 runs in Test cricket. He equalled Sunil Gavaskar’s Indian record of doing so in least number of Tests (11). In terms of innings, Pujara is the second quickest with 18 innings, after Vinod Kambli, who reached the mark in 14 innings. In Test cricket, Don Bradman is the quickest to accomplish this feat, taking only 7 Tests. However, in terms of innings, England’s Herbert Sutcliffe and West Indies’ Everton Weekes are the quickest, taking only 12 innings to do so.
Pujara’s 204 is his second double-hundred in Test cricket, after his unbeaten 206 against England at Ahmedabad in November 2012.
Incidentally, Pujara is only the second Indian to have scored two double-hundreds in his first 11 Tests, after Vinod Kambli. Kambli had, in fact, scored two double-hundreds in his first four Tests!
Murali Vijay (167) scored his highest score in Test cricket, beating his 139 also against Australia at Bangalore in 2010-11.
Interestingly, both of Vijay’s Test hundreds have come against Australia and on both occasions he was involved in a 300-run partnership! At Bangalore in 2010-11 he had added 308 runs for the third wicket with Sachin Tendulkar.
Virat Kohli also completed 1000 runs in Test cricket – in his 16th Test and 27th innings.
India crossed 500 for the second time in two consecutive Tests (they had made 572 in the first Test at Chennai). This provided only the second such instance for India against Australia. In the 2000-01 series India had made 657 for seven declared at Kolkata and followed it up with 501 at Chennai.
After the 370-run partnership for the second wicket between Vijay and Pujara, the Indian innings lost its way somewhat and folded for 503 – still a very good score, but not anywhere near what looked possible at one time. India’s total is, in fact, the second lowest all-out total in Test annals to include a partnership of 350 or more. Graham Gooch and David Gower had added 351 runs for the second wicket for England against Australia at The Oval in 1985, but team was dismissed for 464.
